About RMB

The people’s currency

The literal translation of the word ‘renminbi’ is ‘the people’s currency’, but it may soon be more appropriate to think of it as ‘the world’s currency’ as it looks set to become one of the major reserve currencies of the world. Pushed along by the process of internationalisation, we believe it could one day be as important as the US dollar.

The world’s fastest growing currency

Tracking the rapid rise of the Chinese RMB

The second most used currency for traditional trade finance1

Used by more than 10,000 financial institutions and corporates in more than 100 countries1

The fourth most popular currency in the world for payments (up from thirteenth in 2013)1

In 2015 cross border RMB trade settlement grew to 26% of China's total trade rising from 18.4% in 20142

RMBs share of trading volume has increased more than twenty times, from 0.1% in 2004 to 2.79% in 20151

RMB at a glance

What is RMB?

The renminbi, or RMB as it is otherwise known, is the official name given to the currency of China. Its literal translation is ‘the people’s currency’.

What is the difference between renminbi and yuan?

The main unit of the currency is the yuan – just as the ‘pound’ is the main unit of England’s Pound Sterling. The terms ‘renminbi’ and ‘yuan’ are often used interchangeably.

Why is there an onshore and offshore version of the currency?

Until the process of internationalisation is complete, RMB will be traded in two separate and distinct markets – the onshore market and the offshore market:

The onshore market - designated by the currency code CNY, the onshore renminbi is used on mainland China and held within Chinese bank accounts. The currency is highly regulated and is managed by the People’s Bank of China. It has a daily price setting referencing a basket of global currencies with an intraday trading band of +/-2%.

The offshore market - designated by the currency code CNH, the offshore market is for RMB used primarily outside mainland China. The offshore currency emerged in 2004 so it could be used in global markets and is now fully convertible. There are fewer constraints on the offshore RMB, allowing people to trade and settle it freely and without connection to any domestic trade activity. It can also be applied for settlement of current account activities in mainland China. That being said, the only ISO code recognised for renminbi is CNY. Originally, Hong Kong was the only market that could trade offshore RMB. However, new hubs began opening from 2013 including Singapore, Taipei, London, Frankfurt, Seoul, Paris, Luxembourg, Kuala Lumpur and Doha. In 2015 further RMB hubs have since been announced which include Bangkok, Chile and Johannesburg.

Why do the onshore and offshore versions trade at different rates?

As a dually managed currency both by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and The Peoples Bank of China (PBOC), ‘offshore RMB’ is derived from the PBOC’s daily price setting and intraday market dynamics, plus supply and demand which alters the CNH price thereby, seeing it behave as a free floating currency with no trading bands restrictions.

What is internationalisation?

In 2009, the Chinese government decided it would internationalise the RMB so it could be used in global trade and finance. This involves making the currency fully convertible so it can be exchanged for other currencies without restriction. Internationalisation will allow RMB to be widely circulated outside of China and open up more of China’s economic opportunities to the world.

The Chinese government’s approach to internationalisation has been very successful. In a short period of time the currency has emerged from relative obscurity to being used by more than 10,000 financial institutions in more than 100 countries1, with more than 20 bilateral swap agreements between various central banks and the People’s Bank of China.

When will full convertibility take place?

The process of internationalisation is expected to be completed within three to five years, at which time the RMB will be fully convertible. By the time the process is complete, the RMB is expected to be as important to the global landscape as the Chinese economy.

Domestic Services – The unsung heroes of the China export boom

The link between Australia’s domestic services and the value they add to our export story is an important measure of national prosperity that is often overlooked.

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